Cable Rope Kneeling Face Pull
Kneeling rope face pull that takes body English out of the lift and isolates the rear delts and mid-back.
How to do it
- Set the pulley above head height and attach a rope, then kneel on both knees facing the cable stack.
- Grab the rope with palms facing each other, arms extended in front at eye level with tension on the cable.
- Pull the rope toward your forehead, flaring your elbows wide and high and leading with your shoulders.
- Split the rope ends apart as you pull, finishing with your hands by your ears and elbows in line with your shoulders.
- Squeeze the rear delts and mid-back hard at the end of the pull, keeping your chest up.
- Slowly return the rope to the start over 2 seconds and repeat for 12–20 reps.
Key technique cue
Split the rope to your ears, elbows level with the shoulders; don't rock back.
Common mistakes
- ✕ Pulling the rope to the chin or chest, which turns it into a row and loses the rear-delt focus.
- ✕ Dropping the elbows, which swaps rear-delt work for biceps work.
- ✕ Rocking back on the knees to use bodyweight as a counterbalance.
- ✕ Going too heavy and shrugging the traps up, which buries the rear delts under upper-trap dominance.
Benefits
- ✓ Isolates the rear delts and mid-back with no bodyweight cheating.
- ✓ Reinforces healthy shoulder posture for office workers and athletes.
- ✓ Strengthens the small stabilizers around the shoulder blade for joint health.
Progression: from easier to harder
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Step 1 -
Step 2 You are here - Cable Rope Kneeling Face Pull
- Cable Bar Face Pull
- Cable Rope Face Pulls
About the exercise
The cable rope kneeling face pull is a pulling exercise from a high pulley done kneeling with a rope attachment. The kneeling position removes any chance to lean back or use bodyweight, which forces the rear delts and mid-back to do all the work. The rope lets the hands split apart at the end of the pull, deepening the rear-delt contraction more than a straight bar can. It is a great fit for shoulder-health work, posture correction and pull-day accessory blocks. It's especially valuable for office workers, where rear-delt strength directly supports better posture. It is a good teaching tool for anyone who cheats face pulls with momentum.
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